IOP hands baton of global physics union to Singapore

The IOP has provided the secretariat of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) for the past six years but the responsibility is moving to Singapore from the end of this year.

Credit: Nanyang Technological University

The task will be shared by the Singapore Institute of Physics and the Institute of Advanced Studies at Nanyang Technological University. The university will host the secretariat, which is currently hosted at the IOP’s London centre and managed by the IOP’s international liaison manager, Williamina Lazaro.

The change was formally announced at the 28th General Assembly of IUPAP, held at the university on 5-7 November. Almost 100 delegates from IUPAP’s 60 member countries gathered for the assembly, which voted on resolutions and heard public lectures on topics ranging from the accelerating universe to 2D materials. These included a talk by Nobel laureate Prof. William Phillips (pictured) on “Time, Einstein and the coolest stuff in the universe”.

At the end of the assembly, the IOP’s honorary secretary, Prof. Stuart Palmer, stepped down as secretary-general of IUPAP, to be replaced by Prof. Kok Khoo Phua. At the same time, Prof. Bruce McKellar became president of IUPAP, replacing Prof. Cecilia Jarlskog, and Prof. Kennedy Reed became president designate. Rudzani Nemutudi will continue as associate secretary-general.